Thursday, January 05, 2006

Jabba Interview

The career counselors at my husband's university spent all fall pushing me toward jobs in insurance. This had me baffled. And also worried. Were they clearer than I about my prospects as an academic?

Well, now these same career counselors have alerted me to an as-yet unadvertised, part-time, arts-and-humanities-based writing job. And, shock of shocks, it happens to be at a nearby university that I know and love.

My confidence is crap right now, but I went ahead and made a call. Five minutes later, the director and I had set a time for next week's job interview.

Better call it my Jabba Interview. Because I've ceased to fit into many of my pregnancy tops. And the only bottoms I own are my stretched-tight yoga pants and one pair of maternity jeans. (Such are the perks of not having to teach this year.)What, oh what, am I going to wear?

Good Lord. How am I supposed to land a job in this body? I know employers technically can't ask about personal matters, but, at eight-months pregnant, there's no hiding the fact that I'm about to be a mommy. I'm not sure, but I think this is a position that would start right away. Should I therefore find an appropriate moment to talk directly about the pregnancy—particularly in relation to the job's duties and deadlines? That might be weird. And yet it seems weirder still to never mention it at all.

Here's some more weirdness: One of the schools to which I applied for a post-doc just phoned to ask for a writing sample. It’s due the same day as my jabba interview.

Then I start to loathe myself for loathing myself. C'mon, Cello. Summon your resilience. And how about some self-regard, too? Consider this a funny fork in the road, and toss your best effort in both directions.

11 Comments:

Don't worry -- you'll do great at the interview! Honestly, my opinion is that you should talk about your pregnancy during the interview -- how much time you plan to take off, etc. Otherwise they may make assumptions that may not be in your favor. Good luck!!

Do you have friends in the area who might have nice maternity clothes they aren't using at the moment?

I would definitely mention the pregnancy in the interview, in a humorous way if possible. "You may have noticed that..." Then, as aqua pointed out, they won't overassume about you. Also, for a part-time job, I would think that they'd be more flexible about time off. They might even be happy to have you write at home for all or part of the part-time hours for awhile.

And a writing sample request also! Here's hoping that good things come out of this wave of interest. Prayers definitely ascending for you!

Thanks so much, you guys, for these encouraging words. I believe you're right -- it's best to bring up the pregnancy thing directly. Not to do so would be incredibly strange and could only work against me, I think.

As for clothing, I may spring for a pair of black pants. Seems like a waste... and yet I'll probably get to wear them for a while after the baby gets here. Rumor has it that breastfeeding shrinks the uterus back to its original size. But I have been offered no such guarantees for my backside!

Definitely spring for the pants (if you don't have some friends). I wore maternity clothes for a couple of months after Ellis was born. I'm STILL changing shape (6 mos later), and I just never will be the same again size/clothes-wise. Despite nursing--some people melt to petite-ness with nursing. I am not that type.

I like bringing up the baby in a joking way. You want them to be at ease with your baby. I'm all for being frank, "i have this baby. deal. I am." but not making a huge deal. And don't let those weird pregnancy emotions get you down. An interview and a writing sample!? You rock!!

I'm new to reading your blog, I've also never been pregnant and in your situation, but I am an avid shopper and so I think you should take this interview as a sign to buy yourself something nice to wear. I know it can be hard to feel wonderful at eigth months pregnant but remember, you're "glwowing"! Besides, with this time of year I'm sure there are some great sales going on! try:http://www.mimimaternity.com/home.asp?Media=Motherhood)

Good luck and hang in there! Whatever you wear will be fine because your a great person...from what I can tell by your blog that is :)

In the last couple months of my pregnancy, I treated myself to two nice, somewhat trendy maternity outfits, ones that didn't--at least to my deluded mind--make me appear too much of a whale. They gave me confidence when I wore them, even though the rest of the time I was kind of a sweaty slob.

I ended up wearing my mid-pregnancy clothes for quite awhile post-partum. I'm still a size larger than I was pre-pregnancy (4 months out).

I would definitely mention the pregnancy during the interview. No need to have that awkwardness (literally) sitting between you and the interviewers.

Good luck! And congrats on being asked for a writing sample, too. That's terrific.

It's actually an easier stage to interview at than 3-4 months if you were queasy then...! I had one 8 month interview and it was probably the most up-front and frank discussion I had while interviewing. Not negative at all.